Quest Volume 25, No. 4 November 2024

The Journal of Global Underwater Explorers

Quest

AN ARCTIC ADVENTURE

Diving, exploration, and wildlife encounters in the far north

DIVING FOR CONSERVATION

ACCESSING THE DEEP

Follow Harry’s journey as this year’s GUE NextGen Scholar

A successful citizen science project in Croatia open to everyone COMMUNICATION

Part three: The ultimate guide to hand signals

EDITOR’S LETTER

CONSCIOUS EXPLORATION

Scuba diving, by its nature, isn’t the most eco-friendly activity. If you’re looking to explore the underwater world with the smallest possible carbon footprint, snorkeling or freediving and biking to the dive site are the best options. Unfortunately, air travel, compressors to fill tanks, and dive boats with large outboard engines contribute to environmental degradation. I’m sure you’re aware of this already, and I apologize for pointing out this uncomfortable truth. Often, we undertake dive travel under the banner of eco-tourism, but some might argue the term is an oxymoron, as there’s very little that’s truly green about tourism.

That said, we’re not going to stop doing what we love. Instead, we can seek ways to offset our carbon footprint by contributing to the preservation and awareness of the underwater world through documentation. Divers have a unique perspective, and by capturing the beauty and fragility of marine ecosystems through photography and videography, we can inspire others to care about ocean conservation. These visual stories can motivate action, from supporting marine protection efforts to encouraging personal environmental responsibility.

Divers also contribute to scientific research, participating in citizen science programs that collect valuable data on marine life and environmental conditions. Documenting threats such as coral bleaching, plastic pollution, and overfishing helps highlight critical issues and advocate for sustainable practices in tourism and industry. Sharing these experiences through blogs, social media, and educational content increases public awareness about the urgent need to protect marine ecosystems.

Ultimately, by combining our passion for diving with advocacy and documentation, we can play a vital role in promoting the long-term preservation of the ocean.

In this issue (on page 38), you can join Kirill Egorov on his journey to Norway to dive the Arctic. His article beautifully encapsulates this idea with the following quote:

Protecting, documenting, and learning about these incredible places is essential, and sharing those experiences through photographs and stories can inspire others to care for them too. It’s much harder to harm something you’ve seen— either in person or through someone else’s lens.”

By integrating responsible practices into our adventures, we play a vital role in preserving the ocean for future generations.

Jesper Kjøller Editor-in-Chief jk@gue.com

Editor-in-chief

// Jesper Kjøller

Editorial panel

// Michael Menduno

// Amanda White

Design and layout

// Jesper Kjøller

Copy editing

// Pat Jablonski

// Kady Smith

Writers

// Brad Beskin

// Harry Gunning

// Myriam Spicka

// Erik Wurz

// Kirill Egorov

// Daniel Riordan

// Nuno Padrao

// Dorota Czerny

// Fred Devos

// Todd Kincaid

// Chris Le Maillot

// Jarrod Jablonski

Photographers

// Kirill Egorov

// Constantin Ene

//Jesper Kjøller

// Harry Gunning

// Bori Bennett

// Keith Kreitner

// Erik Wurz

// Myriam Spicka

// Marcel Wilke

// Petr Polach

// Phil Davidson

// Su Eun Kim

// Claudio Provenzani

//Julian Mühlenhaus

Illustrations

// Alexandra Huth

IN THIS ISSUE

6

12

QC CORNER // REQUALIFICATION?

GUE instructors are required to requalify every four years, but no similar requirement exists for GUE divers. However, could a requalification strategy benefit divers as well?

NEXTGEN – THE YEAR IN RETROSPECT

As a passionate wildlife documentary researcher and the 2023/24 NextGen Scholar, Harry Gunning’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Harry shares some of his adventures, his love for underwater photography, and his vision for the future of diving.

24

CITIZEN SICENCE IN CROATIA

Fifteen GUE divers traveled to the island of Krk in Croatia on an invitation from instructor and marine biologist Erik Wurz, who had arranged a week-long citizen science project.

38 52

ARCTIC ADVENTURES // FAR NORTH

Kirill Egorov’s Arctic trip combines cold-water diving, stunning landscapes, and polar wildlife encounters. This article captures the beauty, challenges, and unique experiences of Arctic exploration for adventurous divers and nature lovers.

PORTFOLIO // KEITH KREITNER

Keith’s photography captures action as it unfolds, especially around historic wrecks. Fascinated by their final moments, he strives to convey this emotion in each image, sharing these hidden stories with the world.

58

UNDERWATER COMMUNICATION, PART 3

Hand signals are essential for divers to communicate vital information, from confirming well-being to managing emergencies. This guide offers a comprehensive overview of signals, helping divers convey messages clearly and respond promptly during dives.

CAVE DIVING // HAZARDS

If divers are ignorant of cave hazards, they will have to deal with unexpected problems that will impede their exit and add significantly to task loading and stress. We will discuss the most significant potential hazards posed by a cave environment. These hazards can contribute to a loss of visibility, disorientation, stress, fatigue, and more.

QC CORNER

VOLUNTARY REQUALIFICATION?

GUE instructors are required to requalify every four years, but no similar requirement exists for GUE divers. However, could a requalification strategy benefit divers as well? Drawing from his own experience with skill degradation after excessive reliance on scooters, Brad Beskin highlights the importance of skill refreshment. Frequent practice is essential to maintain precision and team cohesion. This QC Corner encourages divers to consider voluntary requalification to ensure they remain proficient, even without a formal mandate.

I’ve just returned from High Springs, Florida, where I retook GUE’s Cave Diver Level 2 course. Well, most of it—Hurricane Helene cut into the back half. But, nevertheless, I retook Cave 2, and it was an outstanding experience. Let me explain.

For September, I’d planned a relaxing week in High Springs for some much-needed cave diving. To say the least, 2024 has offered up a healthy serving of unexpected stress, and I desperately needed to decompress—both literally and figuratively. There’s nothing quite like a few

familiar runs through my favorite cave systems to clear the mind and refresh the soul.

About a week before departure, I got a text from my friend and instructor, Kirill Egorov: “I have had a cancellation for Cave 2 for the week you’re in town. Do you want to fill the third spot?”

I jumped at the opportunity. Yes, perhaps the desire to spend my vacation repeating challenging training I’d already completed belies some deeply seeded masochism. But my true motivations were quite simple: I needed it. I needed to retake Cave 2.

Brad with Kirill Egorov during the DPV Cave course that laid the foundation for his trigger-happy enthusiasm.

PHOTO BORI BENNETT

PHOTO JESPER KJØLLER

Faulty Fundamentals

Let’s go back a bit further. This all started in April, when I, as a confident, energetic, and freshly minted Tech 1 diver, accompanied Kirill for a celebratory dive in a renowned Mexican cenote. Swimming two stages in Mexico should have been of little concern to this DPV Cave card holder.

Wrong! The dive was an unmitigated disaster on my part. No, nothing broke and we didn’t have any true emergencies. But I was practically void of all the buoyancy, stability, trim, and control I’ve spent years trying to refine. Nothing went as smoothly as it should have, and I looked as fresh out of Cave 1 as any new GUE cave trainee.

Now, we all have bad days. We all have those dives that leave us hoping no one was running the GoPro. But this was different, and I will never forget asking myself during our brief deco, “what happened to my fundamentals?” I had passed Tech 1 the day before, and now a relatively simple Cave 2 dive was raising self-doubt about my in-water competency.

We surfaced, and after apologizing profusely to Kirill and the diving gods, I asked, “is it possible to earn Tech 1 and lose Cave 2 in the same twenty-four hours?” Patiently, he laughed and explained, “yeah, that was pretty bad. I think you spend too much time on the DPV trigger, and that has become your crutch. Your precision skills have dulled. Revisiting them wouldn’t hurt.”

Frustratingly, and per usual, he was right. While I had completed several muti-stage cave dives in the previous months, all of them were predominantly scooter dives—that is, they were all scooter dives with minimal swimming at the far end after dumping the stages. In truth, I hadn’t swum two stages from full to empty in ages. My focus on finesse had been limited.

Kirill then suggested, “why don’t you come fill a third teammate spot in a Cave 2 course? Participate in the class as a trainee, and we’ll see if we can refresh some of what’s stagnated.”

A gas switch is a prime example of a core skill that can benefit from regular refresh workshops to prevent skill drift.

Danny’s great idea

It was a brilliant idea with benefits to both my personal diving and quality control role. I said, “tell me when you have a spot open, and I’ll be there.”

It was also a rather familiar idea. In fact, I admit I had forgotten that GUE Training Council Chair Danny Riordan proposed a similar initiative to me a few years ago. Danny’s point: GUE requires its instructors to requalify at a certain interval, but we do not impose a similar requirement for our divers. Rather, divers renew with a personal attestation to continued accrued experience. Nevertheless, there’s interest in continued skill development and refinement. Danny proposed an optional requalification process that would help refresh skills, identify drift, and prescribe remedial dives to address it. This would be useful to both the diver and future teammates or project managers who would be working with them.

Danny’s idea is fantastic. In addition to the benefits above, a “requalification” offers divers the opportunity to either continue working with

their instructor(s) or experience the tutelage of others. And it would provide instructors an added mechanism to build community and maintain relationships with trainees after they finish their courses.

Demand for this kind of re-training is evident. Successful events like Leading Edge in Vancouver, BC, allow GUE divers to gather to drill, refresh, and identify drift. I’d like to see all of our Instructor Trainers and Evaluators coordinating community events like Leading Edge on an annual basis.

But there is also demand for this kind of refreshing of skills in a smaller, team-of-three setting. In fact, I spoke to a dear friend and intrepid explorer who told me they’d jump at the opportunity for a similar trip back to Cave 2 to refresh emergency skill sets and problem-solving.

Fundamental flaws

Now, my original Cave 2 experience was unquestionably top-notch. I had a stellar instructor, a hard-working and competent teammate, and a challenging and formative experience.

A team of newly certified Fundamentals students performs the GUE EDGE drill flawlessly; however, the procedure can lose its sharpness over time if not regularly refreshed.

So, to be certain, what I’m identifying here is not a training deficit, and nothing herein is to be read to criticize that experience. Rather, to Kirill’s point, it is a diving deficit on my part that arose under two flaws.

First flaw: I don’t dive enough. Full stop. Second flaw: When I dive, admittedly, I want to fly on the back of a big scooter. It’s not that I’m lazy, per se. But it’s really fun. And, I worked really hard to get that DPV certification so I wouldn’t have to swim anymore, right? Again, wrong. Part of me forgot why we dive caves in the first place—it’s rather challenging to appreciate the geology, fossils, strata, etc. when one is at top pitch.

This is where I’d start to quote a bunch of scholarly stuff to you about drift and human error, Quest reader. But you already get a plentiful dose of human factors, so I trust you can go and verify what I’m talking about on your own time at your own pace. Let’s agree that skills drift and we are wired to resist acknowledging it. This is problematic and usually made evident by the worst kind of situations.

I count myself lucky that I emerged from my dive with Kirill presenting only with bruised ego and elevated humility.

Cave 2, Partie Deux

Fast forward to September, where I found myself once again in the Professor’s classroom: Cave 2, part two, which was some of the most fun I’ve had diving in a long time.

First, I want to thank my two outstanding teammates and congratulate them for passing Cave 2. I truly hope my presence did not detract from your experience, and I look forward to diving with you again soon.

Now, disabuse yourself of any notion that Cave 2 is easy—even the second time around. The course is one of GUE’s most challenging, as it poses complex emergency scenarios that require gas, time, and team management under the pressure of darkness and a literal ceiling. Add in Florida’s flow dynamic, and one can have a rather stressful day. Lights-out, gas sharing exits on the line can make for skinned knuckles and banged foreheads. Light man-

PHOTO JESPER KJØLLER

agement, gas switches, and decompression all come into play, and sequence matters. Nevertheless, the course was so much fun. There’s a thrill that lies in managing your way out of the cave, blindfolded and sharing gas, and knowing you have what it takes to support a unified team of GUE divers. It’s a constant logic problem that changes on you with each flex of the bubble gun: [lights fail] “Now you’re Diver 1, and I’m Diver 3.” [bubbles, hand and light signals, gas sharing]. “Ok, you’re Diver 1, and we’ll be back here sharing gas.” [backup light disappears]. “Excuse me, do you have any more backup lights?” [more bubbles, more hand and light signals…]. But you figure it out together as a team. That’s beyond rewarding. And it’s refreshing to know that I can still manage it, despite admittedly not thinking about, for example, team positioning during gas sharing in a very long time.

To be certain, I failed in many ways: I mismanaged the flow, I addressed failures in ineffective and/or inefficient ways, and I forgot a lot of crucial components to emergency procedures. As always, Kirill was there to reinforce these failures as learning opportunities. And, at times, I succeeded. In this specific scenario, it’s hard not to attribute my success to some familiarity with the skill sets as compared to the first go-around. For example, I’m proud to say my line work into the Ear at Ginnie was rather clean (having practiced a time to two since the first Cave 2). But Kirill, never to waste a good debrief, was able to make valuable micro-re-

Brad Beskin

finements to my route, tie-off technique, body positioning, etc. Even where I think I was on point with a skill, I am confident I improved in a meaningful way on account of the course.

Of course, Hurricane Helene cut the course short. In fact, we were ejected from Peacock by park staff so abruptly that we still have some gear in the cave. But the portion we completed was incredibly valuable to me. I have a clear map of what I need to practice, and how, on each and every dive. And, unexpectedly, I’m excited to spend some more time swimming slowly while leaving the scooter in the truck. I think I’ll be retaking GUE courses routinely throughout my diving career.

Requalification?

Now, rest assured that your certifications are safe; GUE does not have plans for a mandatory requalification program for its divers. But perhaps a voluntary program would be of interest: e.g., spend three days with an instructor to identify where skills have drifted, what techniques have stagnated, and how the diver should spend their next few dives refining and practicing. Would you participate in such a workshop?

In the meantime, would you retake Cave 2? What about Tech 1, or even Fundamentals? When was the last time you refreshed your skill set with a GUE Instructor? When was the last time you evaluated drift? Have your precision skills dulled? If so, what are you going to do about it? 

Brad Beskin has been diving actively for approximately 29 years. He first became involved with GUE by taking Fundamentals in 2001, and then Cave 1 with Tamara Kendel in 2003. He is now a proud GUE DPV Cave diver and is actively working his way through

GUE’s technical curriculum. When he is not diving, he earns his living as a civil litigator in Austin, Texas, and he also finds time to act as Director of Quality Control and the Chair of the Quality Control Board for Global Underwater Explorers.

ACCESSING

– My journey as the GUE NextGen scholar

Diving is a unique adventure—an exploration of unseen worlds that only a fortunate few can access. For some, it is a hobby; for others, it becomes a lifelong passion. For Harry Gunning, both are true. As a passionate wildlife documentary researcher and the 2023/24 NextGen Scholar, his journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. The experiences Harry has had within the GUE community have not only shaped his perspective on diving but have also influenced his work and everyday life. In this article, he shares some of his adventures, his love for underwater photography, and his vision for the future of diving.

ACCESSING THE DEEP

TEXT HARRY GUNNING PHOTOS HARRY GUNNING & ERIK WURZ

“As my marine experiences grew, diving seemed to be the obvious next step for someone like me—I remember the walls of my bedroom covered in amazing pictures from diving magazines. However, dive training was always an unattainable goal due to my financial situation.

Before I explain my scholarship year, I want to describe where my diving journey began and how it fits into my overall goals for the future. Growing up in a small seaside town, my friends and family thought I was mad when I wanted to pursue scuba diving. While my dad played in the brass bands, I was in the rockpools playing with the crabs. Each trip to the beach was its own micro-expedition and exploration into life under the sea. My passion grew stronger when I began working at the local aquarium before I eventually pursued a degree in marine biology at the University of St Andrews.

As my marine experiences grew, diving seemed to be the obvious next step for someone like me—I remember the walls of my bedroom covered in amazing pictures from diving magazines. However, dive training was always an unattainable goal due to my financial situation.

Determined to overcome these obstacles, I saved up my money for a discover dive. Despite my passion for the sea, my initial experience of diving was full of challenges. Pain in my ears

during descent and an inattentive instructor forced me to abort the dive prematurely. It was disheartening to realize that the activity I idolized for years was more challenging and scarier than I had ever imagined. Maybe diving wasn’t meant for me?

It was another four years before I built up the courage to give it another go—this time between lectures and in a drysuit in Scotland. With the guidance of a skilled instructor, I experienced pure enjoyment without any discomfort. After that, diving was a part of my life, but it was still a luxury and real progression felt far out of reach.

I was looking for the next step in my diving career when I found out about the GUE NextGen Scholarship. I believed there was a route to enable me to dive as well as pursue all my science and conservation interests. GUE made that previously unattainable goal a real possibility for me.

So, what did I get up to?

In 2023, I was awarded the GUE NextGen Scholarship, designed to support and encourage young divers who show exceptional promise and commitment to the values of GUE: excellence, education, and conservation. The scholarship provided funding for advanced training,

Last year’s scholar, Jenn Thomson, passed the baton to Harry Gunning during the GUE Conference in Florida in November 2023.

PHOTO HARRY GUNNING

Harry gained advanced skills in data collection, underwater survey techniques, and marine species identification during the Scientific Diver course.

equipment, and the chance to dive with some of the world’s most experienced explorers—a dream come true!

Fundamentals

Completing the GUE Fundamentals course was the best way to kick off the New Year (even if the air temperature was almost freezing). It served as the foundation upon which all my subsequent training and experiences were built. Led by GUE Instructor Rich Walker, the course provided me with a comprehensive understanding of core diving skills, such as buoyancy control, trim, and propulsion techniques.

The course was like no other training I had ever taken. It was rigorous and challenging at times, but I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on teamwork, situational awareness, and problem-solving. Beyond the technical aspects, the GUE Fundamentals course instilled in me a disciplined approach to diving, ensuring that I always prioritize safety. This ethos is something I pass onto divers I meet, both within and outside GUE training.

Before Fundamentals, I was a single-tank diver who had never used a long-hose setup (let alone primary lights, backup lights, wetnotes, and compasses). I was used to diving with a backplate, but not one built for doubles, and it was a bit of a learning curve to think about every single detail specific to me. For instance, for those who have not met me before, I am quite tall (198 cm/6.5 ft to be precise) and this has an impact on trim and lung capacity. Rich was the first instructor to ever point this out to me in the context of my diving and to get me to think about what I can do to help maintain the GUE standards of diving. I enjoy learning and improving, and GUE seems to be a place that actively encourages it.

Scientific Diver

The Scientific Diver course was one of the main courses I wanted to conduct as part of my year, and something I noted in my initial application. As a marine biologist and filmmaker, I am often surrounded by amazing researchers doing in-

PHOTO ERIK WURZ

credible projects, and the Scientific Diver course allowed me to get stuck in and give back.

GUE Instructor Erik Wurz was the perfect trainer for this course. Not only is he a marine biologist working in the world of marine conservation, but he is also an active scientific diver. Something I didn’t realize about GUE from the outset is that every instructor must practice what they preach. All are using their diving in their everyday lives, which makes the instruction relevant and experienced.

The course was my first time travelling abroad with all my dive gear to Scharendijke Peninsula in the Netherlands. I managed to squeeze it all into one suitcase (including my drysuit), but next time I will get some excess baggage. Erik was an excellent host, and together with the other students, we spent five days diving, exploring the Dutch reef balls and lobster burrows. It was also my first time putting into practice all my Fundamentals skills and applying them across a busy week of learning and project diving. It was exhausting!

The Scientific Diver course emphasized the importance of teamwork, precision, and efficiency.

From specialized training in data collection and underwater survey techniques to marine species identification, I learned to apply advanced scientific methods in a new and challenging environment. The training emphasized the importance of teamwork, precision and efficiency, ensuring that our findings were both accurate and impactful. I even got to put these skills into practice when I visited a Project Baseline site later in the year.

Bucket list

When considering all of these factors, it became clear that not every opportunity was going to be possible. Part of being honest is acknowledging that when you cannot take advantage of an opportunity, it doesn’t mean you are any less grateful for it being offered. So, I want to thank those who offered amazing opportunities—even when I couldn’t come dive. A special thanks goes to Faith Ortins, a GUE member who I met at the GUE Conference. As a prominent polar explorer and marine biologist, we stayed in touch throughout

PHOTO HARRY GUNNING

Before Fundamentals, Harry had never used a long-hose setup or dived with doubles. Standing at 198 cm (6.5 ft), adjusting his gear for trim and lung capacity was a unique challenge.

PHOTO HARRY GUNNING

FACT FILE // DECISION MAKING

I’ve had many discussions about which course could be next. I wanted to do a course that would build upon my Fundamentals training, develop my core skills further, and open the door for potentially more complicated dives. I’ve never done decompression dives before, but this might change in my next and final course of the year. In November 2024, I will be completing my Rec 3 course in Mexico with GUE Instructor Annika Persson, and I couldn’t be more excited.

It might seem straightforward to fly to a location, undertake a course, and then go onto the next one, but there are many factors that must be considered before undertaking any class. The decision process had me coming back to the GUE value of honesty—both with myself and with others. Here are some of the considerations I think about before taking a course:

What sort of diving do I enjoy doing (and will I be doing in the future)?

I’m a wildlife enthusiast, and most marine life can be found within the top section of the water column. I love dives that allow me to see lots of life and spend lots of time with them to observe different and unique behaviors. When deciding between different

courses such as Tech 1 or Rec 3, I had to consider how likely it would be that I would be conducting dives at that level in the future.

When can I go?

I am working full-time throughout my scholarship year. My job also entails extended periods away from home, with the average TV researcher spending two to three months on location every year. Taking all of this into consideration, finding a week that I could commit to a course ended up being the biggest challenge.

How much will the gas bill be?

I’m sure many can relate to the rising cost of helium edging out the diving community, and this is something I had to seriously consider when thinking about doing the Tech 1 and Rec 3 courses.

Am I ready?

GUE courses are challenging and don’t just start when you arrive. Months of preparations and practice are often required. For example, I had my eye on taking Tech 1. I was diving frequently, and my skills were improving; however, balancing this with work and time away became a constant juggling act.

the year. Her kindness and generosity led to offers of expeditions and opportunities that have never been accessible to me. Unfortunately, I was never quite able to make the dates work due to a busy work schedule organizing and sometimes attending my own shoot expeditions. Despite our best efforts, Antarctica will have to remain on the bucket list for now until the timing is right.

Storytelling

One of the most exciting aspects of my journey as a GUE NextGen Scholar has been the opportunity to explore some spectacular underwater sites. Diving with the seals at Lundy Island this summer was an unforgettable experience that perfectly encapsulates the magic of UK diving and the values that GUE holds dear. Lundy Island, a Marine Conservation Zone, is renowned for its rich biodiversity, but the playful grey seals are the true stars of the show. Diving in these waters, I had an incredible opportunity to interact with these curious creatures up close, guided by GUE's principles of respect for marine life and responsible diving practices. Underwater photography is one of my greatest passions. For me, photography is not just about capturing beautiful images but also about storytelling and conservation. Another memorable dive this year was in Kyle of Lochalsh, visiting the Project Baseline site that was set up and monitored by GUE members and Project Baseline coordinators Martin and Vanessa, who also run a lovely BnB on the Isle of Skye. Scotland holds some of the best diving opportunities in the UK, yet few of the lochs are truly explored. Diving with Martin and Vanessa was a privilege. They showed me the local scenery and sites full of brittle stars, scallops, and anemones. Some of the animals here are found nowhere else in the world, and they are stunning.

Commitment to conservation

As a researcher on Blue Planet III, I have the incredible opportunity to contribute to one of the most ambitious underwater documentaries ever produced. Being a part of Blue Planet III is both a professional milestone and a deeply personal journey, reinforcing my commitment to ocean conservation and the importance of sharing these stories with a global audience.

Conservation is a core value for me, and my experiences as a GUE NextGen Scholar have only strengthened my commitment to protecting the oceans. I believe that divers have a unique role to play in conservation efforts given their direct interaction with the underwater environment. Through education, advocacy, and responsible diving practices, I am looking forward to applying what I have learned to making a positive impact on the marine ecosystems I love.

Looking ahead

“For me, photography is not just about capturing beautiful images but also about storytelling and conservation.

As David Attenborough famously said, “No one will protect what they don't care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.” The future of diving and marine conservation is intertwined with the need for increased accessibility and diversity in the diving community. Currently, diving remains largely inaccessible—not only financially but also mentally and physically. This lack of accessibility and diversity hinders our collective ability to fully achieve conservation goals. If not everyone has a seat at the table—or a fin in the water—then our conservation efforts will struggle to reach their full potential.

Over the past decade, organizations within the diving community have made significant strides in fostering greater inclusivity and diversity. However, we still have much further to go to ensure that everyone can experience the wonders of the underwater world.

To envision the future, we must look to the past. Pioneers like Simone Melchior Cousteau,

Up close with playful grey seals at Lundy Island, showcasing the magic of UK diving in a Marine Conservation Zone.

PHOTOS HARRY GUNNING

the world’s first female aquanaut and underwater videographer, broke barriers and set new standards. Yet, even today, diversity remains a challenge in the underwater and filmmaking industries. In wildlife filming, recent reports highlighted that only 6.3% of camera operator roles are occupied by women. This highlights the ongoing need for change in all aspects of conservation storytelling, not just diving.

When I was younger, I never imagined I would get the opportunities I have through GUE, purely because they seemed inaccessible to me. Initiatives like the NextGen Scholarship have already enabled several divers from underrepresented communities to experience the underwater world.

GUE embodies the ethos of learning and self-improvement, which extends to diversifying our community and making diving accessible to those from various backgrounds.

By broadening our scope of diversity and accessibility, we can foster the next generation of leaders in marine and climate conservation. A more inclusive diving community is essential to achieving our conservation objectives and ensuring a sustainable future for our oceans.

www.gue.com/nextgen-scholarship

Harry Gunning

“Initiatives like the NextGen Scholarship have already enabled several divers from underrepresented communities to experience the underwater world.

Harry Gunning is a wildlife documentary researcher and filmmaker, with credits including work for National Geographic, Disney+, and the BBC. Growing up on the northeast coast of England, his passion for the ocean led him to pursue a career in marine conservation. He holds a BSc in Marine Biology from the University of St Andrews, specializing in marine mammal ecology

and polar biology. Harry has worked with the British Antarctic Survey and completed a study abroad program in New Zealand. He also honed his media skills as a freelance photographer and videographer, filming for TeamGB and the BBC. Harry is currently a researcher on BBC’s Blue Planet III.

DIVING

FOR

CONSERVATION

TEXT MYRIAM SPICKA & ERIK WURZ PHOTOS MARCEL WILKE & MYRIAM SPICKA

– a citizen science project for everyone

Earlier this year, a dive buddy of mine asked, "How would you like to attend a citizen science project in Croatia this July? It’s about research in seagrass meadows and reefs!" As GUE Scientific Divers, we both quickly said yes. This simple conversation led 15 certified GUE divers on a journey to the village of Glavotok, located on the western tip of the island of Krk. We had all accepted the invitation of GUE Instructor and Marine Biologist Erik Wurz, who had arranged a specific project for the coming week.

Along with a beach cleanup, the team retrieved underwater waste like ghost nets, lost fish traps, and debris from tourist areas.

PHOTO MARCEL WILKE

The project united divers of all experience levels, from divers with Rec 1 or Fundamentals certifications to advanced tech divers skilled in cave and deep CCR diving.

The "E" in GUE—Explorers— brought us to the island of Krk in the Kvarner Islands, where we embarked on a citizen science diving project to explore this part of the Adriatic Sea. Our base of operations was the Correct Diving Center, located on the western edge of the island near the Srednja Vrata, a 6080 m/200-260 ft deep channel between Krk and Cres. This area features an underwater landscape of gentle, sandy slopes with patches of seagrass and steep, rocky reefs.

Goals

Erik knows this area well, having been a trainer for the Occupational Scientific Diving Program for Wageningen University at this site since 2023. Our goal was to support this program by exploring areas further and deeper than what is possible during the tight schedule of an intense course. The data we collected would contribute to bachelor’s and master’s theses and, hopefully,

to the future protection of the marine habitats off the shores of Glavotok.

During some scouting dives in 2023, divers using DPVs discovered a large meadow of Posidonia seagrass. These meadows are crucial marine ecosystems, providing shelter for fish species and storing significant amounts of carbon dioxide in their biomass. Unfortunately, Posidonia meadows are in dramatic decline across Europe due to factors such as decreasing water quality, fishing activities, and boat anchoring. One of our primary goals for the week was to establish a baseline for the seagrass and create a detailed map of the entire meadow.

In addition to seagrass monitoring, we focused on the rocky reefs, which extend from shallow depths down to more than 40 m/170 ft. These coralligenous reefs are home to sponges covered in nudibranchs, groupers, gorgonians, and various species of solitary stony corals.

Beyond the scientific goals, our tasks included underwater waste removal and cleanup as well as scouting for unexplored sites—both

The coralligenous habitat, typical of the Mediterranean, is a rich ecosystem threatened by rising temperatures and longline fishing.

deep and shallow. For all participants, this was also an opportunity to build experience and, of course, to have fun!

Getting started

A thrilling atmosphere filled the air on the first morning as everyone gathered to begin the project. The group of 15 divers was truly global, with participants traveling from the Netherlands, Croatia, Germany, Slovakia, and the United States. During the first group briefing, held in a large tent at the base, Erik mentioned that this was likely the largest gathering of GUE scientific divers ever. The project was also unique in that it brought together divers with different levels of diver training, from recreational divers with Rec 1 or Fundamentals training to seasoned tech divers with cave and deep CCR diving experience.

This diversity presented a great opportunity to apply GUE’s mantra: “Shake hands and go diving (and do meaningful things underwater as you have fun),” with teams that varied in both

experience level and capacity to handle task complexities. Despite the differences, all divers shared GUE’s highly standardized approach to diving, which allowed them to work seamlessly together on the various assignments. The GUE scientific education further enabled participants to efficiently conduct scientific methods such as transects, baselines, and dry-runs for different tasks.

The relatively large group allowed us to form two to four teams and have extra divers for special tasks like photogrammetry, filming, and documentation. Correct Diving Center served as our base of exploration, providing the necessary equipment, support, and special accommodations for the needs of scientific divers.

Diving into the research

The project officially began on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, and concluded on Saturday, June 14. After an informal gathering on Sunday evening, some divers spent the first day exploring the dive sites for the scheduled tasks, calibrating scooters

PHOTOS MARCEL WILKE

and cameras for the salty Adriatic Sea, and identifying underwater waste like ghost nets and lost longlines.

Each project day started with a 9:00 am briefing and ended with a 6:30 pm debriefing, during which we planned and analyzed tasks and results from the previous dives. We also organized teams and discussed data collection. Evenings were often spent filling tanks, downloading footage, preparing equipment for the next dive, and reflecting on the day’s experiences. These were intense days filled with deep impressions of the underwater world and meaningful human encounters—a truly powerful experience for everyone involved.

“ferred the data into an underwater map in the evening, saving the geographical survey’s data points.

This involved tasks such as identifying spots, securing tags, surveying the site with GPS, deploying a counting frame and scale, and documenting the process with photos, videos, and 3D modeling.

On the first project day, we focused on mapping the seagrass meadow, which stretched from 7-21 m/20-70 ft in depth. Using tape measures, compasses, depth gauges, and wetnotes, we established a simple baseline and trans-

For most research areas, DPVs were essential due to the distances involved and the need to transport tools such as steel nails, hammers, collection bags, measurement tapes, spools and underwater power tools. Another team worked on the reef, which ranges from 12-50 m/40-165 ft in depth, establishing succession experiment sites. This involved tasks such as identifying spots, securing tags, surveying the site with GPS, deploying a counting frame and scale, and documenting the process with photos, videos, and 3D modeling. The work was challenging but rewarding, requiring meticulous documentation by photo and photogrammetry.

Wednesday was dedicated to a major cleanup effort. In addition to a beach cleanup, we were tasked with retrieving underwater waste

such as ghost nets, lost fish traps, and lobster pot-like cages, as well as debris that had blown into the sea from tourist areas. We encountered kilometers of lost longline fishing gear draped over the rocks and reefs, and we managed to bring up at least one container of waste. The cleanup activities that took place in multiple dive sites and depths were meticulously documented by various camera operators. Local fishermen assisted by collecting the gear we lifted. It was a huge help to have specialists from the Ghost Diving organization on our team who were trained in the use of lift bags and large knives. Our reward for this hard work was a free lunch and, in the evening, a tasty meal with drinks. After the relaxed ending of a hard day of work underwater, the project participants showed some of the footage they made of the cleanup. These were important opportunities to show to the fisherman who frequently fish on the reefs and tourists who enjoy the blue of the Mediterranean sea what is going on underwater. By raising awareness in the local community, hopefully our work over this week can contribute to appreciation of the local marine environment and lead to more protection one small step at a time.

Wrapping up

As the days went on, we continued our work by establishing transects for seagrass measurement, counting the shoots and leaves in a defined square on randomized parts of the transect, and setting up permanent datums around the meadow that were surveyed with GPS. We also established more sites for a succession experiment and conducted photogrammetry and documentation of the reefs. The coralligenous habitat, typical of the Mediterranean, is a complex underwater landscape that supports many species but is under threat from rising temperatures and physical disturbances like longline fishing.

By Friday evening, the project was coming to an end. Many participants faced a two-day journey home and planned to leave on Saturday morning, carrying memories of an up-close view of the Adriatic’s underwater world and the camaraderie of a team united by enthusiasm and advanced diving education. During our last meeting, we summarized our results and shared personal feedback. From the start, we intended that this project be embedded in follow-up scientific work such as continued monitoring of the seagrass meadow and the expansion of

“It was a huge help to have specialists from the Ghost Diving organization on our team who were trained in the use of lift bags and large knives.

When retrieving objects underwater, you can never have too many lift bags.

PHOTO MYRIAM SPICKA

FACT FILE // SEAGRASS

Seagrass meadows provide numerous benefits and are crucial to coastal ecosystems, but they are currently at risk due to human activities and environmental changes. Species such as Posidonia and Zostera are key to maintaining biodiversity, as their dense growth creates nurseries and protective habitats for young fish, isopods, shrimp, and other marine organisms. For example, herring in the Baltic Sea rely on seagrass meadows as vital spawning grounds. These meadows also play a critical role in coastal protection because they reduce wave energy and prevent erosion— an increasingly important function as storm intensity rises with climate change.

Seagrass meadows also contribute significantly to improving water quality. Through photosynthesis, they help oxygenate the water and reduce the presence of harmful bacteria, such as Vibrio, which can be dangerous to both fish and humans. One of the most vital functions of seagrass is its ability to act as a carbon sink. These plants can store up to 3 kg/6.6 lbs of carbon per square meter annually, helping to combat climate change by trapping CO2 in the seabed for long-term storage. This process, often referred to as "blue carbon," is crucial in mitigating the effects of climate change.

The decline of seagrass meadows is driven by several factors, including water

pollution, fertilizers, heavy metals from industrial runoff, and diseases like wasting disease (which is exacerbated by parasitic organisms). Physical damage from anchors, trawling, storms, and coastal development also significantly contribute to seagrass meadow degradation.

Fortunately, seagrass can be restored and expanded through specific restoration efforts. Seagrass reproduces both sexually and through the growth of rhizomes, and even torn-off rootstock can take root in new areas. This allows for the transplantation of healthy seagrass shoots to other suitable areas where they can continue to grow.

Restoration projects involve monitoring existing meadows, identifying degraded or previously overgrown areas, and revitalizing these locations by planting new seagrass.

In the Mediterranean, species like Neptune grass can grow down to depths of 30-50 m/100-165 ft, while in northern seas, seagrass is typically found in shallower waters up to 6 m/20 ft. Research organizations like GEOMAR in Kiel are leading efforts to develop practical methods for restoring seagrass meadows. By carefully managing and expanding these ecosystems, we can slow their decline and help protect the many benefits they provide to marine life, coastal protection, and climate regulation.

PHOTO MARCEL WILKE

The deeper sections of the project area benefited from team members utilizing CCRs, enabling more efficient gas management and extended dive times.

“For all of us, it was an eye-opening experience to see the impact of human activity on these habitats and to better understand this crucial part of our environment—the ocean. Being part of research in this special area of the Mediterranean was deeply rewarding.

PHOTO MARCEL WILKE

Lifting larger objects underwater requires a careful risk analysis. A skilled, safetyoriented team is essential to ensure a successful and secure operation.

the succession experiment on the reefs. University students will be involved in this ongoing research, and many of this week’s participants plan to return next year to continue the project.

For all of us, it was an eye-opening experience to see the impact of human activity on these habitats and to better understand this crucial part of our environment—the ocean. Being part of research in this special area of the Mediterranean was deeply rewarding.

Personally, after years of working in a highly professional environment as an architect and engineer, I found this week to be one of the

most motivating and professionally enriching experiences in my diving and citizen science endeavors. This group, brought together by GUE education, successfully balanced recreation and professionalism, bridging the gap between recreational and technical diving, open-circuit and CCR. We not only achieved our scientific goals but also created a sense of fulfillment and happiness among all participants. The work of the week was done with mutual respect and collaboration and, for me, it was a deeply enriching experience.

The elusive John Dory (Zeus faber) is a master of disguise in the ocean depths. With its signature dark spot and flattened body, this unique fish uses stealth to ambush prey, blending seamlessly into its surroundings.

FACT FILE // TESTIMONIALS

Marcel Wilke

My passion for the oceans and volunteering in GUE scientific diving comes from a deep sense of responsibility to protect our planet’s most vital ecosystems. The oceans regulate our climate, provide food, and sustain countless species, but they are under immense threat from pollution, overfishing, and climate change. My connection to the sea drives me to take action to preserve it. Through GUE scientific diving, I contribute to marine conservation by gathering critical data that informs environmental efforts. It’s not just about diving; it's about making a difference. Seeing marine life firsthand motivates me to work harder to protect it. I believe every effort counts, and through my dedication to the oceans and GUE scientific diving, I hope to inspire others to join the cause, ensuring future generations inherit thriving oceans.

Maike and Lucas Siebeneck

Since we obtained our Scientific Diver certification in 2022, this week in Krk, Croatia, was a great opportunity to use and refresh our skills. Our work on the reef, and especially on the seagrass meadow, was so much fun. Besides measuring, counting, and recording data, we learned a lot about the significant role of seagrass and how it is affected by climate change. It even inspired us to start our own seagrass project in the Baltic Sea. Our cleanup during the week was quite rewarding and successful. We removed a lot of ropes, fishing lines, lobster traps, a fishing net, and other kinds of trash from the seabed. All in all, we had a lovely week, met old friends, and made some new ones. We are really looking forward to next year when we will meet again for the next Science Week in Krk.

Ralf Duckheim

During a successful week in a beautiful location with a wonderful team, I was fortunate to join a well-prepared GUE scientific project in Croatia. In mixed teams of scientific divers at different levels, we worked on seagrass meadows. We learned a lot, improved our scientific knowledge and skills, and recorded data on the meadows.

The dimensions of the meadows were defined by GPS positions and depths, the density of seagrass was recorded, and much more was accomplished, including one day of cleanup. Each day's debriefing summarized our work and progress. At the end of the week, a group of happy divers, new friends, and buddies left Krk Island with many ideas for our own seagrass meadow projects in the Baltic Sea. It was a wonderful week.

Marcel Wilke

Lucas Siebeneck

Maike Siebeneck

Ralf Duckheim

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A heartfelt thanks to Veronika, Petra, Marcel W., Maike, Lucas, Andreas, Richard, Andreij, Claudia, Ralf, Tom, Nils, Erik, Marcel dB., and, of course, Branko, the base chief.

Myriam

Spicka

Myriam, originally an architect, has been fascinated by the sea since childhood and began diving in 1994. Since 2000, she has been combining her love of the ocean with social projects as a PADI and HSA diving instructor. Her passion for underwater filming and a deep interest in marine biology led her to pursue GUE Fundamentals and GUE Scientific Diver

certifications, as well as becoming a TDI Helitrox JJ-CCR Diver. In addition to her exciting project in Croatia, Myriam is deeply committed to citizen science initiatives in the Baltic Sea, particularly focused on the protection and preservation of seagrass meadows. This conservation work holds a special place in her heart.

AN ARCTIC ADVENTURE

ADVENTURE

–

Diving, exploration, and wildlife encounters

Kirill Egorov takes you on a thrilling Arctic expedition, blending coldwater diving with breathtaking landscapes and unforgettable wildlife encounters. Following his Antarctic journey, Egorov embarks on this new adventure, exploring icy waters and photographing polar wildlife. The twoweek expedition, organized by GUE, Blue Green Expeditions, and Oceanwide Expeditions, included dives in frigid waters, Zodiac tours past towering glaciers, and sightings of walruses, puffins, and polar bears.

This article highlights the beauty, challenges, and unique experiences of Arctic exploration, offering insights for adventurous divers and nature enthusiasts alike.

“

It was fantastic to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, and it was reassuring to know that the two-week-long trip aboard the ship would be fun and easy, thanks to the great company.

Two years ago, I was offered the opportunity to join GUE and Blue Green on a trip to Antarctica. An avid reader might recall the article I published in Quest magazine last year about that adventure. At the time, I wasn’t entirely sure if it was something I would truly enjoy—but oh boy, was I wrong! That trip turned out to be one of the most memorable of my diving career.

So, when I was invited to join another joint GUE/Blue Green/Oceanwide expedition—this time to the Arctic—I agreed without hesitation. And, funnily enough, I almost forgot about it in the whirlwind of teaching, GUE events, and some truly fun dives.

With just three months left before the trip, I was suddenly reminded, thanks to Faith Ortins, that it was time to start preparing: organizing gear, booking flights, and planning the adventure.

Getting there

Traveling to the Arctic is relatively straightforward. All you need to do is get yourself to Oslo, Norway. From there, you catch a flight to Longyearbyen, the only permanently populated town on Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard Archipelago. One crucial thing to remember: Spitsbergen is not part of the Schengen

Zone, so you’ll need to go through passport control and customs both on your way to and from Longyearbyen. If you’re lucky, this will happen in Oslo; if not, it could take place at Tromsø airport, so make sure to factor in some extra time for that.

Upon arrival, I was swiftly picked up by a shuttle bus and taken to one of the cozy, small hotels in town. After a quick check-in, I grabbed my camera and took a walk around Longyearbyen. The town itself is quite small—charming, clean, and easy to navigate. The “downtown” area consists of a few streets lined with coffee shops, a bar, five or six restaurants, and some stores where you can buy clothing, photo gear, and souvenirs (including guns and binoculars). If you’re fortunate, you might even have a wildlife encounter. Sadly, I wasn’t one of the lucky ones, but others reported sightings of polar bears and other wildlife.

Meet and greet

Later that evening, our diving group gathered for a meet-and-greet dinner. It was fantastic to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, and it was reassuring to know that the twoweek-long trip aboard the ship would be fun and easy, thanks to the great company.

With one day to spare before we boarded the ship, the group decided to go for a husky experience. Some of us (myself included) worried it

PHOTO KIRILL

Signpost on Bjørnøya, marking the island as less than 2,000 km from the North Pole—an Arctic outpost in the Svalbard archipelago.

EGOROV

PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV

Arctic diving is unforgettable but demands preparation. With water temperatures from -1 °C and 5 °C (30 °F and 40 °F), essential gear includes a reliable drysuit, warm undergarments, drygloves, heating gear, and a thick hood.

“Make sure your cold-water diving skills are sharp, and that you’re familiar with diving in drygloves and thick undergarments.

FACT FILE // CREATURES OF THE FAR NORTH

The Arctic region, with its harsh environment, hosts a remarkable variety of wildlife, many of which are specially adapted to survive in one of the most extreme climates on Earth. Below are key species highlighting their unique adaptations and roles in this fragile ecosystem.

Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

The polar bear is the Arctic's most iconic predator, symbolizing the harsh beauty of the region. Known as "King of the Arctic," this massive carnivore is highly specialized for life on the ice, hunting primarily seals. Polar bears use sea ice as a platform to hunt, particularly focusing on seal breathing holes. With powerful swimming abilities, they can cover long distances in search of food, sometimes swimming for days between ice floes. Their white fur, which appears colorless under a microscope, camouflages them in the snowy landscape, while their black skin beneath absorbs sunlight to help regulate body temperature.

Interesting fact: Polar bears have an extraordinary sense of smell and can detect seals nearly a kilometer away and under several feet of compacted snow.

Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)

The reindeer, also known as caribou in North America, is a unique species of deer adapted to the cold climates of the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. They are known for their impressive antlers, which are among the largest of any deer species, and can be found in both males and females. Reindeer are well-adapted to their environment with their thick fur and hooves designed to traverse snow and ice. During migration, these herds can travel long distances in search of food, often grazing on lichen, grasses, and shrubs that are abundant in their tundra habitat.

Interesting Fact: Reindeer are one of the few deer species that can see ultraviolet light, which helps them locate food buried under the snow during the long winter months.

Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)

Walruses are massive marine mammals known for their distinct tusks, which both males and females possess. These tusks serve a variety of purposes, from helping them haul their enormous bodies onto ice to acting as a tool in social dominance displays among males. Walruses feed primarily on benthic invertebrates, particularly clams, which they detect using their highly sensitive whiskers, known as vibrissae. Social animals, walruses are frequently seen in large herds, either on the ice or floating in the cold waters. These creatures have a thick layer of blubber to insulate them from the freezing Arctic temperatures.

Interesting fact: Despite their bulk, walruses are adept divers and can plunge to depths of 80 m/260 ft in search of food.

The wildlife of the Arctic, from the mighty polar bear to the playful puffin, reflects the resilience of life in one of the planet’s most challenging environments. These creatures, adapted to survive in extreme cold, fragile ecosystems, and fluctuating ice conditions, offer a window into the delicate balance of Arctic biodiversity.

PHOTOS KIRILL EGOROV

Myoxocephalus scorpius, commonly known as the shorthorn sculpin or bullrout, is a demersal fish in the Cottidae family, often found in the Northern Atlantic and Arctic seas.

might be a very touristy activity, but it turned out to be hands-on and immensely fun. Upon arrival at the husky camp, we were greeted by dozens of excited dogs, each hoping to be chosen for a run. After a quick demonstration, we were tasked with harnessing the dogs and preparing the sleds. Since there was no snow, we used chariots instead, but the ride was still thrilling and somewhat challenging. Huskies have quite the personality, and controlling their speed and direction takes some effort!

Setting sail

Later that day, we boarded our ship—the MV Ortelius. To my surprise and delight (I hadn’t read all the emails carefully), it was the same vessel we’d used on our Antarctic voyage. Even better, I somehow ended up in almost the same cabin, which made me feel right at home.

Once on board, we set sail after a brief welcome cocktail with the captain and crew. Safety briefings followed, and then we were ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. For the

next two weeks, we balanced diving, shore landings, wildlife photography, lectures, and even a little science.

Diving in the Arctic

Diving in the Arctic is an unforgettable experience, but it requires preparation. First and foremost, the water is cold, ranging between -1 °C and 5 °C (30 °F and 40 °F), so sufficient undergarments, a reliable drysuit, heating gear, drygloves, and a thick hood are essential. Make sure your cold-water diving skills are sharp, and that you’re familiar with diving in dry gloves and thick undergarments.

Another key consideration is the amount of weight you’ll need to compensate for all that extra gear. It’s also vital to ensure your regulators can fit an H-type valve and won’t freeze up in the frigid water.

As for the dives themselves, they were incredibly diverse. We covered a wide range of sites, from the northernmost Seven Islands to the southern Bear and Hopen Islands. Visibility varied dramatically—closer to the melting glaciers, it could

Drysuits are ideal for the zodiac trips, but if you don't have one, a waterproof jacket and pants are mandatory to board.

“Safety briefings followed, and then we were ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. For the next two weeks, we balanced diving, shore landings, wildlife photography, lectures, and even a little science

drop as low as 30-50 cm/12-20 in, while other areas had much clearer water. Currents also ranged from nonexistent to fairly strong. Marine life was sparse, but when visibility was good, the underwater landscapes were stunning and photograph-worthy. Two sites in particular stood out to me: Seven Islands for visibility and a deep wall near Longyearbyen for its abundance of marine life (we even spotted pikes and rays).

Zodiac Tours

Whenever weather, wildlife, or pack ice prevented landings, the expedition crew did their best to offer exciting alternatives, such as Zodiac tours. For these adventures, drysuits are the ideal clothing choice, but if you don’t have one, a waterproof jacket and pants are required before you’re allowed on board.

The Zodiac tours took us to several glaciers, including Monacobreen. The sheer size and beauty of the glaciers left us speechless, but at the same time, seeing the obvious signs of climate change—melting ice, shrinking glaciers— was a stark reminder of our planet’s fragility.

As we ventured further south, glaciers became less frequent, replaced by towering rock formations, arches, and waterfalls. Some of the landscapes we saw near Hopen Island looked like they belonged in a fantasy movie like Game of Thrones or The Lord of the Rings.

The Zodiac tours were also prime opportunities for photography. The breathtaking landscapes were teeming with birds—puffins

“Protecting, documenting, and learning about these incredible places is essential, and sharing those experiences through photographs and stories can inspire others to care for them too. It’s much harder to harm something you’ve seen— either in person or through someone else’s lens.

being the most entertaining—and we were lucky enough to see belugas, humpback whales, walruses, and seals.

Landings and hikes

The expedition’s plan was to conduct two landings per day, weather and wildlife permitting. An hour before each landing, scouts were sent out to ensure the area was safe. Once deemed safe, we were ferried ashore via Zodiacs, where we were met by guides. Unlike in Antarctica, where we had more freedom to explore, the Arctic landings felt a bit more restricted, as groups had to stay together for safety, with armed guides leading the way in case of polar bear encounters.

During these landings, we saw reindeer, walruses, seals, and several historical remnants, including a German bomber from World War II, Arctic flowers (a delightful surprise), and traces of past whalers and hunters, such as huts and animal bones.

The most unusual day

One of the most memorable days of the trip was when we sailed through the pack ice toward the North Pole. Although we hoped to spot more polar bears, we weren’t successful. Still, it was an extraordinary day. Surrounded by ice, I spent hours trying to capture the perfect shot of a seagull, and the constant anticipation of a polar bear sighting kept us all on the lookout, much like sailors of old scanning the horizon for whales or land. Our efforts were eventually rewarded when we spotted an enormous walrus drifting on an ice floe, surrounded by seagulls.

The bipolar badge

This Arctic expedition was truly incredible. After having explored both the Arctic and Antarctic, I earned my “bipolar” badge. As a relatively new wildlife photographer, I had a blast capturing the stunning scenery and wildlife. As a history buff, it was fascinating to delve into the exploration and settlement of the polar regions, learning about their history during World War II and the roles played by both Norway and Russia. As a diver, I enjoyed the dives, although I must admit that the surface activities were even more exciting.

Witnessing the effects of climate change firsthand was both humbling and heartbreaking. While I was aware of the issue, seeing it in action—shrinking glaciers, melting ice—brought it into sharp focus. The visible human impact on one of the most remote regions of the Earth is a sobering reminder of our responsibility to protect these delicate ecosystems.

There is ongoing debate about whether we should leave places like the Arctic and Antarctic untouched, but I believe that respectful, carefully managed tourism is crucial. The way Oceanwide organizes these trips fosters a deep love and respect for these harsh, remote regions, and in doing so, turns us into their ambassadors. Protecting, documenting, and learning about these incredible places is essential, and sharing those experiences through photographs and stories can inspire others to care for them too. It’s much harder to harm something you’ve seen—either in person or through someone else’s lens. 

When weather, wildlife, or pack ice blocked landings, the crew offered alternatives like Zodiac tours.

Svalbard

Longyearbyen

Bear Island

Greenland

Iceland

FACT FILE // ORTELIUS SPECIFICATIONS

Passengers 108 passengers in 50 cabins

Staff & crew Crew 44 | Guides 8 | Doctor 1

Length 90.95 meters

Breadth 17.20 meters

Draft 5.4 meters

Ice class UL1 (Equivalent to 1A)

Displacement 4090 tonnes

Propulsion 6 ZL 40/48 SULZER

Speed 10.5 knots average cruising speed

www.bluegreenexpeditions.com www.oceanwide-expeditions.com

Kirill graduated from Moscow State Pedagogical University as a teacher of Physics in 1999 and attended a course of archaeology at Moscow State University. These two specialties allowed him to participate in multiple scientific research programs. After his first try-dive in 2000, Kirill was totally amazed with the underwater world, and made it his hobby first and profession later. He became a PADI recreational

and technical instructor in 2003-2004 and joined GUE in 2005. Since that moment he has concentrated on two main passions: diving and teaching diving. Kirill is currently teaching for GUE at the Cave 2, Tech 2, and CCR levels and working on GUE training materials. He resides in High Springs, Florida, which allows him to cave dive as much as possible.

Kirill Egorov

history ambassador KEITH KREITNER

Keith Kreitner, a passionate diver and underwater photographer, sees the underwater world as a universe waiting to be discovered. Over the years, he has participated in numerous historically significant diving projects, including with SDSS, a non-profit dedicated to exploring submerged cultural assets in the Mediterranean. Through photography and videography, Keith brings to life stories of WWII shipwrecks and Roman relics, uncovering places few have seen.

For Keith, underwater photography is more than capturing images—it’s about telling stories of the past. His dives often go beyond recreation-

al depths, exceeding 60 m/196 ft where light fades and currents grow strong. In caves, darkness and limited visibility add complexity, making every dive a mental and technical challenge. Close coordination with his dive buddy is essential, especially during long decompression dives.

Keith’s photography is rooted in action, capturing moments as they unfold. He is particularly fascinated by historic wrecks, imagining their final moments before sinking and striving to capture that emotion in his images. Each dive offers a new narrative, and he aims to share these hidden stories with the world.

His work makes the unseen underwater universe accessible, preserving its history and beauty. Keith considers himself an ambassador of this other world, revealing its mysteries and advocating for its protection through his photography.

LOCATION SS Thistlegorm, Egypt

CAMERA Sony A7SII

HOUSING Nauticam

LENS Sony 16-35mm

EXPOSURE f/4, 1/60, ISO 600

LIGHT Video light 8000 lumen

LOCATION Kobanya Mine Budapest , Hungary

CAMERA Sony A7S II

HOUSING Nauticam

LENS Sony 16-35mm

EXPOSURE f/5, 1/50, ISO 1500

LIGHT Video light 8000 lumen

LOCATION Locoli Cave, Sardinia, Italy

CAMERA Sony A7S II HOUSING Nauticam

LENS Sony 16-35mm

EXPOSURE f/5, 1/50, ISO 2000

LIGHT DivePro 8000 lumen

LOCATION SS Thistlegorm, Egypt

CAMERA Sony A7S II

HOUSING Nauticam

LENS Sony 16-35mm

EXPOSURE f/4, 1/60, ISO 1200

LIGHT Five video lights

LOCATION Giannis D, Egypt

CAMERA Sony A7S II

HOUSING Nauticam

LENS Sony 16-35mm

EXPOSURE f/4, 1/200, ISO100

LIGHT Subtronic Fusion

LOCATION Battle of the Convoys, Lampedusa, Italy

CAMERA Sony A7S II

HOUSING Nauticam

LENS Sony 16-35mm

EXPOSURE f/5, 1/60, ISO 800

LIGHT DivePro 8000 lumen

LOCATION Battle of the Convoys, Lampedusa, Italy

CAMERA Sony A7S II

HOUSING Nauticam

LENS Sony 16-35mm

EXPOSURE f/5, 1/200, ISO 600

LIGHT Subtronic Fusion

LOCATION Battle of the Convoys, Lampedusa, Italy

CAMERA Sony A7S II

HOUSING Nauticam

LENS Sony 16-35mm

EXPOSURE f/5, 1/60, ISO 1200

LIGHT Subtronic Fusion

TEXT NUNO PADRAO WITH KIRILL EGOROV, DOROTA CZERNY & JARROD JABLONSKI

PHOTOS JESPER KJØLLER & JULIAN

MŰHLENHAUS

ILLUSTRATIONS ALEXANDRA HUTH

UNDERWATER COMMUNICATION

UNDERWATER COMMUNICATION

– Part three: hand signals guide

Hand signals are a critical part of underwater communication for divers, enabling them to share essential information without verbal communication. Whether confirming well-being, managing emergencies, or coordinating dive procedures, clear and consistent hand signals are vital to dive safety and team coordination. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of hand signals used for commands, emergencies, and general communication underwater, ensuring that divers can effectively convey messages, avoid misunderstandings, and respond promptly to potential issues during their dive.

COMMAND SIGNS

OK/OK?

Like other command signals, the OK sign must be returned with a positive answer (i.e., “I’m OK”) or with an indication of the problem in the case of something being wrong. Remember, if a diver is having a problem, it is their responsibility to inform the team. The OK sign should not be used to answer other signs, otherwise it becomes hard to understand its meaning.

Stop/hold

Abort/call the dive

Divers use the thumbs-up signal in order to terminate a dive. This command signal often indicates that some limit has been reached, e.g., a gas supply. However, it may also indicate that a diver is uncomfortable and wants to exit the area. Once a diver calls the dive, there can be no discussion from members of the team. The dive has to be ended, and the dive team has to initiate their ascent/exit.

Failure to properly recognize and acknowledge the stop or hold command can be very dangerous. Misunderstandings relating to the hold signal have resulted in confusion and even fatalities. The stop command is communicated with a closed fist facing toward the other diver(s). The open palm signal for stop or hold is also common in the open water community. It is crucial that this

HAND EMERGENCY SIGNALS

Out of gas

The out‐of‐gas signal is given by slashing the hand across the throat. This is an emergency signal and demands immediate attention. Upon receiving it, team members must donate gas. This sign can be greatly enhanced when used in conjunction with a primary light signal. In such cases, one hand is used to give light emergency signals, and the other hand makes the slashing move across the throat.

Distress signal/emergency

This signal is given by very rapidly moving a hand back and forth with the palm down, and arm extended in front of the diver. The distress signal is especially efficient when being done with a light, moving the light in rapidly from side to side. However, in the pursuit of establishing muscle memory and practicing critical diving techniques to the point of becoming reflexes, the distress signal can be used even when not diving with a light in hand.

HAND INFORMATION/GENERAL SIGNS

Communicating actions – general call for attention

Divers in need of attention or who are facing non-critical problems underwater that require team assistance should notify the dive team by using the call for attention signal. This signal is similar to the distress signal, though it is given through slow and deliberate movement of the hand, back and forth. It is extremely important that it is performed slowly, not to be confused with an emergency signal. The call for attention signal is especially efficient when being done with a light.

Problem/something is wrong

Communicating that something is wrong is a combination of holding out the hand, palm down, and tilting it to the left and right in a repeating motion. This signal is most often combined with pointing a finger at the problem to define the problem.

Slow down/calm down

Telling a diver to slow down can be of great importance if the diver is swimming at a pace beyond their comfort or if the diver seems stressed. The slow-down signal is done by holding out one hand (or both hands) and calmly moving the outstretched hand(s) up and down slightly with the palm(s) facing down.

Look

Breathe

A diver in distress can be effectively calmed down by telling them to breathe, since regaining control over the breathing rhythm is one of the most important steps to self-rescue. Telling a diver to breathe is done by moving one hand, palm facing the chest, in a sweeping gesture toward and away from the chest, mimicking lung movement. The breathe signal can be combined with the slow-down signal to influence divers to lower their breathing rate.

Divers often want to share an underwater discovery and can stretch out two fingers, first pointing them to their eyes to say “look at” and then pointing with an open hand to the object of interest. Using the same signal, the GUE instructor will ask a diver to watch them during all skill demonstrations or other underwater training situations where the students must be observant of the instructor.

No/negation

Question/query

Raising and slightly bending the index finger symbolizes a question mark and is used when divers cannot interpret communication or in combination with other hand signals (e.g., “question” and “swim in this direction”). A question signal can never be a response to any command signal.

The hand sign to say “No”, or to reject a message/suggestion is given by stretching out the index finger and moving the whole hand sideways back and forth repeatedly. Head shake can be used as well.

Big

Think/remember

Telling a diver to remember or think about a specific situation or task is performed by tapping the index finger (or index and middle fingers) against the temple of one’s head and showing with additional hand signals what is being referred to (e.g., “think about” and “deflating the BC” when ascending).

If a diver wishes to communicate that something is big, they will signal it by placing the top of their index finger together with their thumb and slowly opening the fingers as wide as possible.

Cramp

Small

If a diver wants to communicate something is small, they signal it by opening their index finger and thumb and slowly pinching their index finger to their thumb until they touch (or a small gap is left).

The hand signal for a cramp is done by extending an open hand (palm facing forward and fingers apart) and then closing the hand

Numbers and counting

Divers use their fingers to give numerical information. Using only one hand, divers raise their hand (palm towards the other divers, fingers up) to count from one to five. To count from six to nine, the fingers are used the same way but with the palm facing toward the communicating diver and the fingers pointing sideways (e.g., communicating the figure “6” is the same signal as “1,” but with fingers pointing sideways).

GAS-RELATED COMMUNICATIONS

SPG check

Checking the remaining gas volume systematically is imperative for safe diving. The signal for SPG check is performed by placing two fingers on an open palm and then pointing to the diver whose cylinder pressure is in question. To communicate a diver’s own cylinder pressure to a diver who asks, they should simply communicate the pressure in numeric signals. Alternatively, a diver can unclip their SPG and show the dial to the diver they want to ask for their gas pressure. This alternative is very practical, since only one hand is being used.

Low on gas

Bubbles

If a diver notices that bubbles leak from any part of a team member’s diving equipment, the diver needs to be informed of the leak to take further action or to call the dive. Bubbles are signaled by tapping the top of the middle and index fingers together repeatedly.

If a diver notices their gas supply is getting low (i.e., in a stage or decompression bottle), they will need to communicate it to the team so the divers can prepare for switching to an alternative gas source (i.e., back gas). This signal should not be used in a gas emergency, as it is an information sign, and the diver is not actually out of breathing gas. The signal is done by placing a fist towards one’s chest and hitting the chest lightly several times. Following that, the diver can use the “give me gas” signal.

Give me gas

As a continuation of “low on gas,” a diver indicates a need to share their team member’s gas supply (i.e., during a decompression gas sharing situation) and signals by bringing the fingertips together and tapping several times with them on the regulator that he is currently breathing from indicating he wants to receive gas. It resembles a signal for “eat” or “feed”.

MOVING IN THE VERTICAL COLUMN

Descend

The descend signal is most often given at the surface to communicate that all divers are ready to deflate the BC and descend. It may, however, also be used to indicate that a diver is changing to a deeper depth. In both cases, the signal is given by pointing the thumb downwards with the remaining fingers closed in a fist.

Come up slightly

Level off

Moving the hand in a side-to-side pattern with the palm facing down means level off here, hold this depth, or establish neutral buoyancy here. This signal is commonly used both during diver training and on decompression stops.

Extend the arm, flex the wrist a few times with an open palm facing up.

Come down slightly

Extend the arm, flex the wrist a few times with an open palm facing down.

Next level up/down

This signal is used for communicating that the team should go to a shallower/greater depth. Most commonly, this signal is used when going up from one decompression stop to the other. Divers communicate to move up/go to the next level by holding a hand in front of themself and making a semicircular motion upward (with the palm facing down). Similarly, to go a level down, divers can signal by holding a hand in front of themselves and making a semicircular motion downwards (with the palm facing down), communicating a move to the next level down.

DCS or “bent"

The hand signal for showing someone is “bent” (experiencing decompression sickness symptoms) is accomplished by bending the hand downward at the wrist towards the lower arm while keeping the hand flat.

Go to ascent line

Giving the call-the-dive signal, but with the index finger pointing in a direction, means that the dive is being turned back to the exit point and that the dive team is on the way back to shore from that point on. As opposed to the call-the-dive signal, it does not mean that the dive is terminated at the point in time when the signal is given, but that the diver has reached a turn parameter or has made the decision to return to the exit point and thus commence the return trip. Once back at the exit point, the call-thedive signal would initiate the final ascent.

Decompression

Calling a decompression stop or "deco" is performed by holding out the pinkie finger with the remaining fingers closed in a fist. It is usually followed by a numerical signal that informs divers of the duration of the stop and is executed at the depth of a stop depth. After the deco time has passed, divers use the next-levelup signal to ascend to the next stop depth.

MOVING IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE

Direction/go

Pointing with an open palm of the hand indicates direction. Pointing with the index finger can be mistaken for numeric communication. This sign can be followed or can come after another signal. For example. “look at this”, signalled as “look” followed by pointing with an open hand to the object, or “swim” in this direction.

Swim

Swim over

The hand signal for swimming is performed by stretching out the index and middle fingers and moving them in an alternating fashion. This can be combined with a directional sign for the team in a specific direction.

To signal to swim over or pass over, the diver should open their hand, palm facing down, and make a semi-circle upwards, as if passing over something with their hand.

Swim under

To signal to swim under or pass under, the diver opens their hand, palm facing down, and makes a semi-circle downwards, as if passing under something with their hand.

Swim around

To signal to swim around an object or feature, the diver opens their hand vertically (thumb up, pinky finger down) and makes a semi-circle toward the left or right, depending on the direction to take.

TEAM AND TEAM FORMATIONS

Team captain

The sign to communicate that someone is now the captain or to reinforce that position is performed by placing an open hand sideways in front of the forehead, mimicking a crest. It is often used to make clear who the decompression captain is or who is leading an ascent.

The team captian may also be indicated by extending the index and middle finger and placing it on the opposite shoulder (as if indicating a military chevron).

Wing formation

Level off

Moving the hand in a side-to-side pattern with the palm facing down means level off here, hold this depth, or establish neutral buoyancy here. This signal is commonly used both during diver training and on decompression stops.

Wing formation is requested by placing the fingertips of one hand across the other hand and holding the hand in an angle, forming a triangular wing.

In-line formation

To signal for team members to position themselves in a line formation, a diver points with both index fingers (one hand behind the other) to illustrate two divers swimming in a single file.

Diamond (cross) formation

Divers signal a request that the team form into the diamond posi tion by forming a triangle between the thumbs and index fingers of both hands.

Together

If a diver wishes to communicate that divers should stay together, they will extend both hands, fists closed, with index fingers extended, and bring both hands together side by side. This can be directed at individual divers by pointing to them or a group and then making the "together" sign.

PROCEDURES AND SKILLS (ACTIONS)

Drill (as in skill, exercise)

When divers wish to practice a particular skill or their GUE instructor wants them to perform a certain technique, they give the “drill” signal by pointing their index finger toward the other hand’s palm and mimicking a drill action (turning the index finger).

Flow check

Deploy SMB

For a diver to indicate they will deploy an SMB, they start by extending an arm with their fist closed, followed by opening the closed fist and moving the arm slightly upward.

A flow check is a procedure to check that the cylinder valve(s) is/are in a proper position (could be closed or open depending on the situation), which needs to be carried out once a valve or valves have been manipulated or have made contact with an object (ceiling, upline, etc.). Divers can inform and request a flow check by using the palm of their hand (or index and middle finger to point back), pointing to their own cylinder valve(s) and sweeping from right to left above the cylinder(s).

Drop

Clean up/stow

Divers with improperly placed equipment (i.e., pocket content improperly stowed or a regulator not clipped off) may be asked by a teammate to clean up or stow. This is signaled by letting one hand sweep back and forth across the open palm of the other hand.

The drop signal is performed by repeatedly opening and closing a fist with the fingers facing downwards. This can be used, for example, to signal the place or moment to drop a stage.

Cut/abort activity

There are two signals for aborting any activity. Crossing the arms in front of the chest with the fists closed or mimicking the cutting action of a pair of scissors with the fingers. Upon this signal, all drills must be aborted.

Repeat/continue

Pointing both index fingers toward each other and turning them around simultaneously as if forming a turning wheel means repeat or continue—a signal that a GUE instructor may use if they want divers to continue practice or to repeat a certain technique. Alternatively, this can be communicated by extending the index and middle finger, palm facing to the front, fingers sideways and creating a rotating movement by moving the wrist.

EQUIPMENT

Inflate/deflate BC

Light

In the event that a backup light is unintentionally switched on or that divers should deploy a diving light, signal by repeatedly opening and closing a fist with the palm facing forward.

During training, a GUE instructor may want to communicate that a diver should either inflate or deflate their BC. Inflate is communicated by repeatedly tapping the right index finger sideways to the left (indicating the inflator button). Deflating is communicated by raising the left arm and indicating a push on the top button of the corrugated hose or by moving the left arm back while slightly turning sideways before mimicking the use of the rear dump valve with the left hand.

Switch/exchange

Reel

The hand signal for a reel is achieved by extending one hand with the edge of the palm facing down (thumb up) while the opposite hand faces the palm of the hand, with the middle finger crossed over the index (as in line signal). The signal is completed by doing a rotation motion with the opposite hand, mimicking reeling the line. This may be used to communicate to a diver to operate the reel, either with deployment or retrieval (check in the section below related to line work communication).

The hand signal for switching (in terms of changing over to another regulator or switching positions in the team) is executed by extending and opening out the index and middle fingers and turning the forearm in a circular motion back and forth repeatedly.

Broken

Broken (non-functioning) equipment is signaled by pointing at the equipment and illustrating (with either one or two hands) breaking an object, such as a small stick in two halves.

ENVIRONMENT

Current

Silt (silty bottom)

When swimming in a silty environment, divers should remind others to avoid the delicate bottom to reduce the risk of silting. Holding out the hand, palm down, and rubbing the index and middle fingers against the thumb signals silt and muddy bottom and tells other divers to take care not to travel too close to the bottom and to adjust their method of propulsion.

Divers can make team members aware that they are about to be exposed to increased water flow by carefully and repeatedly knocking a closed fist toward their open hand or forearm.

Percolation

Restriction

If a diver wishes to communicate a restriction is ahead, they will extend their hand, palm down, and make a pinching motion with their hand, leaving a small space between the thumb and fingers.

The same as the silt signal, but fingers will be pointed up toward the ceiling, indicating that there is significant percolation coming from the ceiling that might affect the dive or the current mission (i.e., photo or video documentation) or drastically reduce visibility.

Stuck

The signal for communicating that something or someone is stuck requires pointing to the location or item that is stuck and clenching the hand while placing a thumb between the index and middle fingers.

Line

The signal for a line—wether questioning where the line is or defining a direction required to reach the line—is performed by crossing the middle finger over the index finger.

Tie off

The tie-off signal is performed by crossing the middle finger over the index finger of the same hand and rotating the hand in circles. If a diver wishes to communicate that a line needs to be tied off, they point to a possible tie-off point and signal tie-off. This will indicate that a line can be tied off at that spot (rock, tree, etc.).

Entanglement

Reel the line (take up slack)

The hand signal for a “reel the line” resembles the “reel” (as in equipment piece) and is performed by extending one hand with the palm facing inwards while the opposite hand faces it, with the middle finger crossed over the index (as in line signal). The signal is completed by making a rotation motion with the opposite hand (with crossed fingers), mimicking reeling the line. This would indicate to reel the line in and/or to take up the slack created on the line which can create an entanglement risk.

Putting the middle finger across the index finger signals “line,” and

Regardless of a diver’s experience, every underwater overhead environment is potentially dangerous. These environments pose three deceptively innocuous challenges: darkness, complex geometries, and flow (water movement), each of which can rapidly become a potentially life-threatening hazard. A well-trained and properly prepared diver can easily overcome these hazards; however, the consequences of underestimating or ignoring the risks associated with overhead environments can potentially lead to tragic results for even the most experienced divers. At the very least, if divers are ignorant of cave hazards, they will have to deal with unexpected problems that will impede their exit and add significantly to task loading and stress. In what follows, we will discuss the most significant potential hazards posed by a cave environment. These hazards can contribute to a loss of visibility, disorientation, stress, fatigue, and more. We’ll discuss ways of managing these hazards in later chapters, and these methods are a vital part of appropriate cave diver training.

PHOTO PETR POLACH

TEXT FROM THE GUE PUBLICATION DEEP INTO CAVE DIVING WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM KIRILL EGOROV, JARROD JABLONSKI, DANIEL RIORDAN, FRED DEVOS, TODD KINCAID, & CHRIS LE MAILLOT PHOTOS KIRILL EGOROV, PETR POLACH, PHIL DAVIDSON, SU EUN KIM & CLAUDIO PROVENZANI//

CAVE DIVING

HAZARDS

“Once disturbed, sediments will become suspended in the water column surrounding the diver and can significantly reduce visibility.

Comparison of different types of bottom sediments and their impact on visibility.

Sediments in the cave environment typically consist of sand- to claysized materials that are transported into the cave by through-flowing water before they’re deposited onto passage floors. Sediment deposits can have variable thicknesses and depend largely on the velocity of the through-flowing water which is often dependent on the size of the passage. Thicker and finer sediment sequences are generally associated with large passages or chambers and slow water velocities. In some caves, particularly high gradient caves found on mountain flanks, seasonal flooding can transport exceptionally large boulders, logs, and other debris considerable distances into cave passages. Most of those caves, however, are dry during all but flood stages.

One problem that plagues the discourse about sediment in caves or cave passages is the lack of a commonly used nomenclature for various sediment types. For instance, the terms sand and silt often have different meanings to different divers, which means that descriptions of cave conditions can be interpreted differently and be misleading. As a means of standardizing the nomenclature, the Udden-Wentworth classification scale defines four major sediment types (clay, silt, sand, and gravel) based on the size of individual grains and U.S. Standard sieve mesh sizes. The most common sediments found in underwater caves are clay, silt, and sand. Clay is composed of the finest particles, each less than 1/256 mm in diameter. Silt describes particles that range between 1/256 mm and 1/16 mm. Sand comprises the largest sediment particles typically found in the cave environment, which range between 1/16 mm and 2 mm in diameter. Mud is a less useful term because it technically describes a combination of clay and silt. Nonetheless, cave divers often use this term.

It is, of course, impossible to distinguish between various sediment types at the subclass levels listed in Figure 9-1. These are only provided to illustrate the fact that sediment names are based solely on particle size and not on other factors, such as color, locality, or composition, as it is sometimes assumed. Observant cave

divers should be able to classify cave sediments into the four main sediment types, and thus provide more educated and constructive descriptions of caves and cave passages. Clay particles have a tendency to stick together due to cohesive forces between individual layers in the mineral structure and are therefore less easily disturbed than silt or sand. Silt particles are so small that they are difficult to hold in the hand and are very easily disturbed. Sand particles are small enough to be easily disturbed, but will settle quickly and are generally large enough for a diver to hold. Gravel particles are large enough to be picked up individually and are not easily disturbed.

The primary hazard associated with cave sediments is reduction in visibility. In general, sediment disturbance problems—often described as silting—only arise if divers are careless, exercise poor propulsion techniques, or otherwise disturb sediment accumulations on cave walls or floors. Once disturbed, sediments will become suspended in the water column surrounding the diver and can significantly reduce visibility. The amount and duration of visibility reduction will depend on the particle size of the sediments that were disturbed and the through-flowing water velocity. Large particles, such as sand, will settle back to the cave floor more rapidly than smaller particles, such as silt or clay. Rapid water flow will disperse a sediment cloud and tend to improve visibility over time; however, it can also render a significant reduction in visibility throughout downstream sections of a cave.

The two most dangerous sediment types are silt and clay. While clay is not as easily disturbed as silt, once disturbed, clay can remain suspended in the water column for hours to days due to the dispersion of the tiny constituent particles. Visibility in the area of the disturbance can be reduced to less than one foot within seconds. In this case, rather than defuse the problem, water flow will extend the cloud of suspended clay and thus promote poor visibility in the downstream direction, hindering a diver’s ability to make an expedient exit. Silt is easily disturbed, for instance, by an errant fin stroke or hand movement and can remain suspended for minutes to hours. Water flow will disperse a silt cloud in the

downstream direction. Visibility will be restored more rapidly than with clay due to the larger particle sizes and more rapid settling velocities.

Water properties

Depending on environmental conditions surrounding a cave, cave water will have various properties, some of which can present challenges to a cave diver. The most common properties that confront cave divers are tannins, hydrogen sulfide, salinity differences, flow conditions, and, in some cases, contaminants. Though most are not directly hazardous, these water properties can contribute to visibility reductions, disorientation, and fatigue.

Tannins

Tannins, usually referred to as tannic acid, are a group of pale-yellow-to-light-brown substances derived from multimeric gallic acid, otherwise known as 3,4,5-Trihydroxybenzoic acid [C6H2(OH)3 – COOH gen.]. Tannins occur normally in the roots, wood, bark, leaves, and fruit

of most woody plants. They also occur in galls, which are pathological growths in plant tissue caused by parasites and insects. Tannins are primarily responsible for the reddish tea color of most surface waters, and are, in fact, responsible for the astringency, color, and some of the flavor in black teas. Humic substances, primarily humic and fulvic acids, are closely related to tannins, and are created by the biogenic action in soil, water, and sediments, producing variablysized complex molecules that contribute to the yellow-brown color in surface waters.

Both gallic and humic acids contribute to the acidity of surface waters, wherein the tannin staining is an indicator of acid levels. Heavily tannin-stained surface waters typically have a pH range between 5 and 6.5, which is not harmful to human or ecological health. Waters in that pH range will, however, facilitate the dissolution of paint and chrome plating that covers most scuba regulators, and will promote rust on steel cylinders when equipment is left submerged in the water for long periods. An example of this is

“For cave divers, the primary concern posed by tanninstained water is that the reddish-brown color absorbs light and dramatically reduces visibility compared to typically clear groundwater.

when safety bottles are left in a cave for a long period of time during an exploration effort.

For cave divers, the primary concern posed by tannin-stained water is that the reddish-brown color absorbs light and dramatically reduces visibility compared to typically clear groundwater. Tannin-stained water will be present to varying degrees wherever groundwater and surface water mix, such as at most cave entrances. Typically, the location of the interface between tannin-stained surface water and clearer groundwater will vary from far outside the cave entrance to some significant distance inside a cave, depending on hydrostatic conditions in the surface water body, such as lake level or river stage. When the interface is at or inside a cave entrance, tannin-stained surface water can prevent light from filtering into the overhead environment, reducing or eliminating the daylight cavern zone. In other caves, such as Devil’s Ear cave on the Santa Fe River where the river and the cave are hydraulically connected over more than just the cave entrance, river water intrusion

Tannin-stained water swirling above Devil’s Eye in Florida, USA.

of tannin-stained water will reduce visibility in passages that are hydraulically connected to siphons in an overlying river.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S)

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a colorless, flammable gas that produces a characteristic rotten egg odor at low concentrations. Hydrogen sulfide is one of the principal compounds involved in the natural cycle of sulfur in the environment. It occurs in volcanic gases and is produced by bacterial action during the decay of both plant and animal protein and by the bacterial reduction of sulfate in naturally occurring sulfate minerals such as pyrite (FeS2). In the groundwater environment, high temperatures, slow circulation, and anoxic (low dissolved oxygen) conditions augment the production of H2S.

H2S will typically accumulate in caves that 1) receive circulation from underlying deep aquifer systems wherein the H2S is generated in hot anoxic deep aquifer water, 2) intersect a freshwater-saltwater mixing zone where H2S is gen-

PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV

A layer of hydrogen sulphide in Cenote Angelita, Mexico.

PHOTO PHIL DAVIDSON

erated by bacterial reduction of sulfate minerals below the halocline, 3) contain large quantities of decaying organic matter and stagnant or slowly circulating groundwater, or 4) receive water and gaseous input from active volcanoes or hot spots.

If present in underwater caves, H2S will be dissolved in the groundwater and will generally collect near the cave ceiling in layers of variable thicknesses. Milky clouds and reddish-brown, flaky material, both of which are produced by the bacterial reduction of naturally occurring iron-sulfide minerals, commonly mark H2S layers. The milky cloud is composed of minute sulfur particles formed through the chemical reaction of sulfide with dissolved oxygen. The reddish-brown, flaky material is often referred to as ‘iron bacteria,’ though it is most probably the by-product of iron sulfide reduction. Additionally, the characteristic smell of rotten egg can often be detected through a regulator and, to the diver’s later dismay, can also permeate wetsuits and neoprene drysuits that become saturated with H2S-laden groundwater. Examples of caves that contain significant H2S levels include Cenoté Naharon in the Yucatan Peninsula wherein the H2S has accumulated through the bacterial reduction of sulfates in the freshwater/saltwater mixing zone and through the decomposition of organic material in the densely vegetated overlying jungle; Hospital Hole and Salt Spring caves in West Florida wherein the H2S is produced in relatively deep, stagnant sections of the caves below a halocline by bacterial reduction of sulfates in the freshwater-saltwater mixing zone; and Sulfur Spring Cave where H2S is derived from the upward circulation of groundwater from the deep Lower Floridan aquifer.

H2S is a potentially deadly gas when inspired at concentrations greater than 20 ppm (parts per million) (OSHA, 2000), and is a common and serious problem faced by many workers in the oil and gas industries and public water and sewer agencies, as well as dry cavers in some caves. One or two breaths of air with 600 ppm H2S can cause loss of consciousness. Unfortunately, at those elevated concentrations, the gas is odorless and, thus, hard to detect. To a cave diver, passing through a H2S layer is not directly

hazardous because the diver is breathing from a self-contained gas supply and will therefore not inspire H2S gas. However, extreme caution should be exercised when surfacing in naturally-created gas spaces, or gas-filled cavities, especially if there is an apparent H2S layer below the water table or evidence of organic decomposition in the area.

As is the case with tannin-stained water, the most common problem associated with H2S in underwater caves that confronts cave divers is reduced visibility. Within a cloudy H2S layer, visibility can be reduced to as little as one foot or less, rendering visual control on a daylight zone, the guideline, or one’s dive partner difficult-to-impossible. In these situations, divers can regain better visibility by simply dropping below the H2S layer. Additionally, the reddish-brown material associated with the bacterial reduction of iron sulfide minerals in many H2S layers typically settles to the cave floor and collects on small ledges on cave walls and ceilings in low-flow sections. Here, even the most careful through-swimming divers can very easily disturb it. Once disturbed, the material can remain in suspension for long periods of time and dramatically reduce visibility. The best solution to problems with the bacterial detritus is to avoid it and, when impossible to do so, carefully execute proper propulsion techniques.

Salinity

While water salinity creates no problems for cave divers other than affecting divers’ buoyancy and their equipment maintenance considerations, haloclines—which mark the interface between two waters with different salinities—can present visibility problems due to light refraction (bending of the light wave). Cave divers will most frequently encounter haloclines in coastal caves that intersect the freshwater-saltwater mixing zone: for example, caves in the Akumal region of the Yucatan Peninsula, Caribbean Islands, and West Florida.

Due to density differences, freshwater will be above the saltwater within the mixing zone. The two water types will be separated by a discrete halocline. At the outset, the halocline can be hard to detect and may only be perceptible by

“

The world is replete with exciting and fascinating activities. If diving in general, or a particular kind of diving, is not fun for an individual, then it should be forsaken for another activity regardless of desire or peer pressure.

observing the refraction of a diver’s light beam pointed casually across the halocline. However, divers passing through the interface or otherwise disturbing the halocline will broaden the mixing zone, thereby distorting the light refraction pattern. A distorted refraction pattern will bend a diver’s light in random directions, making it hard to visually discern shapes and patterns, even though the water may be very clear. The problem is further complicated by the fact that because the mixing zone is increased by the disturbance, the zone of poor visibility will be made larger. Passing above or below the mixing zone will allow divers to regain visibility; however, it will remain difficult for divers on opposite sides of a halocline to effectively communicate as long as the mixing zone remains disturbed.

Groundwater contamination

It is unfortunate that we should have to address the topic of contamination; however, it is a growing problem that can have negative effects on cave divers. Groundwater contaminants include point source pollutants and nonpoint source

pollutants. Point source pollutants describe any human-introduced substances originating from a discrete source or sources that have a negative effect on water quality. Non-point source pollutants describe contaminants that have a dispersed source and primarily include agricultural pesticides and fertilizers.

Dry cavers have been forced to deal with contamination in caves for many decades. Some of the worst cases include chemicals that have produced toxic cave gases and flammable and explosive contaminants that have resulted in serious underground fires and explosions. In many cases, such as the cave fires mentioned above, contaminants in the caves are the result of improper disposal or inadvertent leakage of industrial chemicals or petroleum products. The most common source of contaminants in the cave environment, however, probably remains purposeful waste disposal into sinkholes and cave openings by private individuals and landowners. For example, Devil’s Sink, a water-filled sinkhole/ cave near Interlachen, Florida, has been used as a trash receptacle for various types of waste

PHOTO SU EUN KIM

generated by local people for many years. The sinkhole now contains automobiles, appliances, batteries, oil-filled drums, and other waste that contribute a multitude of contaminants to the groundwater system and the local cave environment.

An awareness of local contamination problems is important to the cave diver for two reasons. First, dissolved contaminants in the groundwater can be hazardous to a diver’s health. In the worst-case scenario, imbibed contaminants can be poisonous either immediately or over the course of long-term exposure. More commonly, groundwater contaminants can cause ear infections and skin irritation. Second, groundwater contamination will lead to the deterioration of water clarity, algal and bacterial growth on cave walls, and other consequences that will degrade the natural beauty of a cave and the overall cave diving experience.

Contaminated groundwater is sometimes hard to recognize. For instance, most of the spring caves in the Suwannee River Basin of Florida are experiencing increased levels of

A team of sidemount divers traveling through a halocline in a cave in Mexico.

nonpoint source pollution that are contributing to increased algal growth and declining water clarity. However, this water clarity degradation, as well as the impacts of contamination, are occurring slowly enough to make them hard to perceive by all but those who have been diving the local springs for several years. In general, however, there are indicators of groundwater contamination in the cave environment:

• Algal or bacterial-growth on cave walls.

• Consistently poor water clarity, or declines in water clarity that are not associated with hydrologic events such as excessive rainfall.

• Water temperature fluctuations within the cave.

• The presence of excessive trash and other contaminant sources in local water bodies.

Note that tannin-stained water is not an indicator of groundwater or surface water contamination.

Flow

High, low, and siphoning water-flow conditions in a cave present different challenges to the cave diver and can contribute to loss of visibility, stress, and fatigue. Low-flow conditions can contribute to silting problems because a disturbed sediment cloud will dissipate more slowly from the area of disturbance. However, in such a case, visibility in downstream passages will be less affected. Under high-flow conditions, groundwater flow can rapidly disperse sediment clouds away from the area of disturbance. In this case, visibility in downstream passages can be negatively affected depending on the amount and type of sediment disturbed. Rapid groundwater flow will also fatigue a swimming diver and can contribute to diver stress, in both cases facilitating the more rapid depletion of gas supplies.

Siphoning conditions can be very unsafe since divers need to exert more energy and use more time to regain a cave or passage entrance after turning a dive. Depending on the groundwater velocity in the siphon, divers will use considerably more breathing gas for exiting than for penetration, making it difficult for a dive team to confidently determine a safe turn-around pressure. Additionally, the increased exertion required for exiting will often contribute to elevated stress levels. These stress levels can, in turn, contribute to even faster breathing rates and to an even quicker depletion of breathing gas. Scootering into siphons is even riskier than swimming into them because it is harder for divers to gauge the velocity of the siphoning groundwater and, thus, it is more difficult to establish a safe turn-around pressure. Moreover, the consequences of a scooter failure in a siphon are notably more serious than they are in out-flowing passages.

Passage geometries

The shapes and patterns of some cave passages can present hazards to the unwary cave diver. The most apparent hazard is the complicated pattern of interconnecting passages characteristic of many maze-type caves. Even when permanent guidelines exist and are properly marked with directional arrows, encountering

multiple interconnecting passages—especially when dive plans call for jumps into side passages—can confuse divers who fail to abide by safe guideline protocols. In the worst-case scenario, confusion can lead to elevated stress levels, and ultimately, critical gas supply problems. The same type of confusion is probably one of the fundamental reasons that so many untrained divers have died in underwater caves. Divers can significantly mitigate confusion associated with interconnecting passages by following safe guideline protocols which call for maintaining a continuous, well-placed guideline between the dive team and the water surface at the point of entrance. The map of Devil’s Ear cave illustrates a typical maze-type pattern of intersecting passages that can lead to confusion and disorientation without safe guideline protocols.

The above map of Devil’s Ear cave illustrates the complicated interconnection of multiple passages typifying maze-type caves. Devil’s Ear cave lies beneath a section of the Santa Fe River in North Central Florida.

Another potentially serious problem associated with passage geometries is the potential for line traps. A line trap is a section of a cave passage into which a poorly placed guideline can inadvertently migrate, but which is too small for a diver to pass through. Potential line traps are most common in cave passages that have irregular cross-sectional profiles. The traps are more likely to appear at turns in a passage where a poorly-placed guideline can migrate to the edge of the passage when pulled taut by a diver spooling out line from a reel. Line traps are most problematic during low-visibility exits, when it would be hard to visually determine how best to negotiate around the trap.

Rock properties

To a lesser degree, rock properties like color and hardness can also be troublesome to a cave diver. Though most cave images one sees depict beautiful white walls free of silt and debris, many caves have dark colored walls that absorb light, making the cave darker and therefore reducing visibility. Such conditions result from mineral precipitation on cave surfaces. One of the most common mineral precipitates

Diver hovering over an impressive brimstone dam in Sardinia, Italy.

is goethite, (sometimes pronounced ger-tite), an iron hydroxide (FeO·OH), that commonly forms a dark brown to black crust on cave walls.

The hardness of the rocks composing cave walls can contribute to cuts and abrasions of the skin and to torn suits and seals. Particularly under the influence of fast moving groundwater, harder rocks, such as lava, basalt, quartzite, and consolidated limestone, can become very sharp and are thus more problematic than soft limestone that typifies most limestone caves in Florida and the Yucatan.

Collapses

For the most part, natural caves—both above and below the water table—are stable environments; however, collapses do occur, as is demonstrated by the ubiquity of breakdown piles and collapsed boulders in many caves around the world. Fortunately for cave divers, collapses in natural caves tend to be randomly distributed across long (i.e., thousand-year) timescales. Man-made caves (like mines and tunnels) tend to be more prone to collapse because the cavities are often excavated through variably competent rock and buttressed by various types of supports that decay over time. Though the risk of collapse on any given caving excursion is relatively small, it nonetheless exists and should be recognized and accepted by all cave explorers before they undertake any excursion underground. As with most adventure

NEXT TIME: Accident analysis

sports, unpredictable, seemingly random, and natural events can have tragic consequences. For instance, in 1991, a sudden debris slide at Indian Spring cave temporarily blocked the cave entrance/exit. Unfortunately, at the time this occurred, two divers were exploring a section of the cave. Upon returning to the entrance, the divers were met with near-zero visibility conditions and discovered that the cave exit was blocked by sediment. Trying to find a way around the blockage in poor visibility nearly exhausted all of the divers’ gas supplies and ultimately resulted in one fatality. Though none of the fundamental cave diving rules had been broken—and though, by all accounts, both divers performed calmly and purposefully as they tried to find another exit—the unfortunate timing of the event and the reality of limited gas supplies proved ultimately more than the dive team could handle. Nonetheless, divers should not exaggerate the significance of this event. To date, the debris slide at Indian Springs remains the only documented case of a natural event resulting in an underwater cave fatality; no collapse of any cave environment can be tied to an underwater cave fatality.

An understanding of the underwater cave environment, and of the hazards it presents, not only deepens one’s respect for the challenges posed by a singular domain, but also provides the foundation for a set of strategies that enables divers to anticipate, manage, and overcome them.

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